Oakland food activist and driving force behind Forage Oakland, Asiya Wadud opens "Persimmons for Later," a hoshigaki exhibit, on Friday, December 11, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at 18 Reasons.  If you didn't know (and we didn't), Hoshigaki is the art of hand-drying Japanese Hachiya persimmons, massaging them to keep them uniform, as well as bringing their natural sugars and sumptous fragrance to the surface, while keeping them moist and succulent.

Wadud will be joined by Siew-Chinn Chin and Viva Barrows-Friedman in the creation of the exhibit--and share an instructional hoshigaki video, which will be screened at the event.

Rosie Gill and Lulu McClellan will join Wadud in the massaging of the local, foraged Park Avenue persimmons peeled and hung throughout the gallery (as described on Forage Oakland) , with said lovely persimmons depicted above (photo by Maria Gould). The interactive installation will feature a sampling of the preserved persimmons as they mature. For those who can't wait for a taste, Stacie Pierce's persimmon pudding will also be offered.

The installation itself is quite striking. 18 Reasons adds, "Lauded for her commitment to reusing and redistributing neighborhood fruits and vegetables, [Wadud] has transformed 18 Reasons into an interactive persimmon winter wonderland and tonight we celebrate!" Wadud's Forage Oakland, for those not familiar with it, is a project about building community, bartering and redistributing food, and viewing one's neighborhood as "a veritable edible map." Its inspiring manifesto is well worth a read.

Located at 593 Guerrero at 18th Street in San Francisco (info@18reasons.org), 18 Reasons is a community space that is part of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses. There, community engagement, food, and art all intersect, supported by Bi-Rite Market, other neighborhood businesses, and individual memberships. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Bi-Rite will also be providing refreshments.